Microsoft: Windows Mobile 6 has no upgrade path to Windows Phone 7

Natasha Kwan, Microsoft’s General Manager for Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific market, has spoken, and Windows Mobile 6 owners are not going to like what they hear. When asked about the possiblity of a Windows Mobile 6 upgrade path, Kwan dropped this bomshell to tech blog APC: “Because we have very specific requirements for Windows Phone 7 Series the current phones we have right now will not be upgradable.” And that includes the HTC HD2. While the HD2 meets the extensive list of hardware component requirements, it fails to fulfill one superficial prerequisite: it has more than 3 dedicated buttons. Perhaps this is one of the first, albeit painful, steps in a better Windows mobile platform experience for all. However, we now know this for certain: if you want to run Windows Phone 7, you’re going to need some new hardware. Though we’re sure the crew at XDA will change that if you’re a daring individual. Read

My parents said i can become anything when i grow up, so i became an asshole

mr doo doo sniffer

I too will vote this comment down, BUT it is kinda funny (& most likely true)

jdean

In 8 months the HD2 will be the HDeww. Why would you want new software on old hardware. I’d understand being upset if WP7 was released the day it was announced and they weren’t going to let the update come to HD2. People shouldn’t be suprised or upset.

bob

in 2 years windows phone 7 will be put to rest forever as a dismal failure

StevenGlansburg

it’s funny that the big problem is two extra buttons…couldn’t they just program three of the five buttons on the HD2 to function while the other two are just dumb keys? However, I know that is too abstract for Microsoft…

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

Aren’t they all just dumb keys, I mean, it isn’t like you can go around and just add buttons.

denis

iphone…here i come

mr doo doo sniffer

if you rotate the d counter clockwise, his name says “penis” heh heh heh hee hee. Thats probably what this guy is too

yaya

haha what a cock

C

Who cares?

Most Windows Mobile 6.5 users feel Windows 7 Phone Series is a downgrade.

StevenGlansburg

making things easier to use and more integrated for the average consumer is definitely a downgrade, god forbid those clowns wanna try and sell to the mass market.

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrettou

Actually Steven, The 10% part of the market (business) is where the money is at. Just ask the 1% of the market (engineers and gamers) they will tell you all about it. Mass market appeal means nothing……. Like a corporation’s shareholders know anything.

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

Thanks to my trackpad I am now of new ethnicity.

Soddy

@Jarrettou: Business is everything and mass market appeal is nothing? I wonder how Apple would feel if you told them that. That’s right, they’re too busy counting the buckets of money they make from the iPhone.

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

@ Soddy,

I am sorry, obviously you needed an introduction to my friend satire. My post was sarcasm. I will try to be less clever next time. I believe if you would have noticed those pesky numbers in that post you would have realized that I was pointing out that the mass consumer market was where the real money is at.

Cheers

Soddy

My b, Monday morning and my brain went right to how MSoft makes more money from license renewals from businesses than conumser sales.

C

In my post, I wasn’t trying to debate whether what they did was good or bad.

My only point is that Windows Mobile 6.5 and below users will probably not touch Windows 7 Phone Series. I think the OS is so different that it will need a different user base and no one cares whether the hardware is upgradable or not.

Whether they can make more profit making things simpler, while killing functionality is irrelevant. I don’t think this will appeal to Geeky IT types that bought their previous devices.

There is a problem in that statement. Did you feel the same way about 6 when you were using 5? I feel a commercial in there somewhere. I believe the title is “I promise” or “Trust Me”.

gquaglia

This iphone and BB users thinks you are an idiot.

Verizon Guy

Yep, all 12 of you think it’s pathetic, but 5 outta 12 will be busy trying to hack ROMs nobody will use anyway.

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

That is where I will be filling my time. Why would I want to actually use a product. I want to spend loads of time hacking it.

Hey!

I read somewhere else that its not just the buttons, but the graphics capabilities of the HD2.

While jdean’s comment about ‘old hardware’ seems premature and silly, turns out, he might be right. Despite a snapdragon processor, the HD2 might not have the chops to fully run WP7?

Sad for t-mobile. Sad for me who wanted to ditch this outdated G1.

But no way I’m going to buy the HD2 now. Will wait for the real deal WP7 phones.

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

WP7 and real deal might not actually fit together once (if/when) this product ships.

crazylegs

classic microsoft here. screw your customer by forcing hardware upgrades. that company is a joke in the mobile space.

Not Quite

Yeah, you are SO right. Like how about that time they released a non-3G version of a phone on a carrier that had capable 3G, only to come out with a 3G version one year later after everyone already signed up for 2 years on the first iteration? YOu are SOOO right. Fuck Micro— oh wait a minute… that wasn’t MS…

Yeah, you are SO right. Like how about all those handsets they got floating out there w/ like 5 different versions of the same OS, some of those phones less than 2 years old that slow to a crawl even attempting to run the latest OS? Stupid MS, they should… oh wait… that’s not MS either… ah…

No, you are right, but it goes for ALL PHONES and manufacturers. Basically, its either get raped in the butt or raped in the mouth, but no matter what, you will get raped. Thus is the nature of cellphones and hardware.

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

I think you are confusing carrier contracts with manufacturers.

runjonrun

Well played sir.

xin xin po

shut up you all muppets, get a two phone line contract and get a new phone every year, a extra line cost what $120 year for the newest cool toy….its a phone for gods sake.

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

No, it’s a “SuperPhone”, Google said so.

Hey!

@C:
I’m assuming it’s because of being more ‘locked down’ than the current WinMo model? If you’re looking at it from the view of open-source and development, yeah, its kind of a step backwards.

For everyone else who don’t give 2 shits about those things (like most of the Apple fanboy iphone users out there who these things never seem to bother), then its hardly a complaint. Me, I’ll take the Zune and Xbox integration over crappy open source apps any day. Play a handheld version of PGR that continues the same career I stared on Xbox… or download 10 instead of 5 fart apps? Yeah, give me the PGR instead.

Not being able to make my own wallpaper is kind of silly, but hardly a ‘downgrade’ (and inevitably hackable or there will be an app for it). But its like saying a new Ferrari sucks because it comes only in red.

TopOfNewYork

Your over simplifying the needs of the user who likes to customize. Its far more complex than just customizing wallpaper. Thats the most elementary basic customization you can do on any phone? If you have any idea what an advanced user can do with these devices you’d know its about freedom. Freedom you dont have in an iphone and you wont have in Window’s Zune phone thats going to bomb b/c apple is going to slam dunk it with an iphone upgrade.

DuDe254

While you may be an advanced user that has to mess with everything on the phone I would say that its safe to admit that 90% of the general phone population doesnt care about complete customization. Look at the iPhone hardly any customization options but look how popular it is. All in all I think its a good move for MS and WP 7 looks promising.

TopOfNewYork

You dont care b/c you dont know. People are individuals the idea that a mass model phone will make people happier than a phone they can do exactly what they want to it cant be true. There is no one size fits all device. Its just that your complacent. You dont demand more b/c you have no idea whats out there and what could be. Thats what they want they want you as a consumer. Doing and thinking what they want. Which is that a dumbed down every size fits all device is better for you than a personalized device. Its backwards. They keep the knowledge from you to keep making money. They need users to need them. They have to sell something. Its called monopoly and just like the game you get the property then you buy the whole block then you put expensive luxury hotels and lock people, devices operating systems and apps into long term leases you cant get out of or port. Anyone who supports prison operating systems or computing in general supports should think about demanding great service for their dollar. Why should people be happy with cookie cut crap? Zune phone xbox bing windows 7. See a pattern here?

kingfish

Doh! Looks like I am going to have to be a daring individual as I just got the HD2 direct from Australia.

editorkid

I’ve got my Touch Pro2 and I’ve modded it a fair amount. Why would I want to upgrade it to something that’s more locked down than the iPhone? Sorry, but I think you’re out of touch if you think folks will be disappointed that they can’t upgrade. That’s a feature, not a bug.

boomKABOOM

Maybe she dosen’t know?
Anyhow I trust XDA to fix it.

Howard stern

My parents said i can become anything when i grow up, so i became an asshole.

phonejunkie30

@Not Quite,

love it dude keep it coming couldn’t have said it better my self

Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Southwest North America

Alex

I don’t know what the problem is. The HD2 already have a back, start and power bottoms. All they have to do is making the make the pick up bottom a camera bottom.

Richard

Vista all over again, the interests of Microsoft and
the manufacturers trump those of the consumer:
more money for everyone…. OMG, why are people so
unhappy??? Microsoft has little hope of getting
people to buy lame stuff because it is cool and
trendy, so the strategy is clearly to soak the late
adapters who have not figured out they are light years
behind. The folks at RIM are not asleep, nor is
Nokia, Android is really taking off, and Apple has been
rather quiet as they ready their (no doubt) awesome
response…. exactly where does WinMo fit in? This is
just another Palm story of too little way too late. The
market waits for no one. It really does not matter
how good it is, it is real hard to get off the mat and
rejoin the fight after the crowd has gone home. Even
harder when you have annoyed both your customers
and your manufacturers.

TopOfNewYork

I completely agree with you

Daniel

Who is this horrible product manager running Windows Mobile? This is truly a strong statement to sever ties with it’s past and it’s potential core audience.

gquaglia

They are probably embarrassed by the past and want to run away from it as fast as possible.

Man, first MS fans were told that the “Plays for Sure” moniker ensured them of digital music compatibility and tight integration all the way, that is until MS introduced The Zune and all you ‘Plays for Sure’ people were “Played for Sure” and raked over the MS coals when your existing music libraries were no longer compatible…

Now they are doing it again with their mobile phone changes, that to hear it from Ballmers lips would have never come to fruition because MS was happy with their game plan. Yet here we read that all you Win Mobile 6 users are going to get raked over the MS coals once again…

The only thing one can be ‘assured of’ is that if you stay with MS long enough, you’ll be raked over the coals!… TRUST ME!!! LOL

boogalooboy

Please show us where MS promised WM 6.5 devices would be upgradable to WP7S.

NoHypeHere

Please read my comment more carefully!!! Show me where I said MS promised WM 6.5 devices would be upgradable to WP7S?

I didn’t did I.

If you READ where I said “Now they are doing it again with their mobile phone changes, that to hear it from Ballmers lips would have never come to fruition because MS was happy with their game plan.”

The “now they are doing it again”, refers to MS saying one thing doing another…

The “to hear it from Ballmers lips would have never come to fruition because MS was happy with their game plan” refers to what Ballmer said regarding the iPhone and MS “Phones”… paraphrasing… ‘it doesn’t even have a keyboard which doesn’t make it a great business device…’ What does Ballmer do… new WinMo 7 phones and talk of virtual keyboard, closed system, tight integration, kind of like the iPhone he scoffed at, all the while saying he liked MS’s providing the OS to the various hardware makers and then gave a sample of a phone for 99.00 bucks and then showered it with so called “glowing compliments”… oh just YouTube it and next time comprehend what you read, don’t assume, because it makes an Ass out of U and Me, okay…

NoHypeHere

Also the “Now they are doing it again” also meant that MS is raking MS fans over the coals… again….

Joe

Well, now the inevitable $600+ price tag for the T Mo version isn’t worth it at all.

loki

Ouch that sucks. Sounds like the geniuses at MS thought this one through pretty hard.

Then again it is expected that if WM is revamped that there will be limitations due to software/hardware. I believe that the limiations are gonna suck so bad that several wm folks will be displeased.
This revamp will either make or break WM. Dont hold your breath too long

PhoneLover

I really wanted the HD2 but now I’m getting the xperia x10

http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

Shoot lower, there has to be atleast three more phones before you hit the bottom of the barrel.

AusFest

Unacceptable

gquaglia

This is smart. MS is making a clean break from the abortion that is WM. Start fresh with new hardware is the way to go. It’s not like there are really that many WM users now anyway. Its pretty much bottom of the barrel with only Palm being lower.